diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index b9889288..786f4d0d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ tests:
     - *clone-repos
     - *install-os-packages
     - pip install -e ./bec/bec_lib[dev]
+    - pip install -e ./bec/bec_ipython_client
     - pip install -e .[dev,pyqt6]
     - coverage run --source=./bec_widgets -m pytest -v --junitxml=report.xml --random-order --full-trace ./tests/unit_tests
     - coverage report
@@ -157,6 +158,7 @@ test-matrix:
     - *clone-repos
     - *install-os-packages
     - pip install -e ./bec/bec_lib[dev]
+    - pip install -e ./bec/bec_ipython_client
     - pip install -e .[dev,$QT_PCKG]
     - pytest -v --junitxml=report.xml --random-order ./tests/unit_tests
   allow_failure: true
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a438f84d..82440d1f 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "qtpy",
     "pyqtgraph",
     "bec_lib",
+    "bec_ipython_client", # needed for jupyter widget
     "zmq",
     "h5py",
     "pyqtdarktheme",